Wire sleeving apparatus



H. w. WHITE WIRE sLEEviNG APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July s, 1955baits y @inge/Pfaff .Wo/face Zl/aie/ d/fe WIRE sLEEvING APPARATUS FiledJuly 5, 195s v 2 sheets-sheet g FIG.4

@mmm/M Se@ *ICC e WIRE sLEEvrNG APPARATUS Horace Walter White,Kidderminster, England, assignor to The National Standard CompanyLimited, Kidderminster, England, a British company Application July 5,1956, Serial No. '596,001

' Claims priority, application Great Britain July 7, 1955 4 Claims. (Cl.140-88) The present invention relates to apparatus-for placing a sleeveon the end of a piece of wire or other rodformed material. Moreparticularly the invention relates to apparatus for inserting the twoends of a wire loop into a sleeve in the manufacture of a bead wire fora cycle tyre as described in the specification of my copendingapplication No. 596,002 of even date.

According to the invention apparatus for placing a sleeve on the end ofa piece of wire or rod-formed material comprises a holder for thesleeve, means adapted to bring the sleeve and the end of the wire orrodformed material into substantially axial alignment with one another,means for gripping the wire or rod-formed material and means foreffecting relative movement between the sleeve and the wire orrod-formed material in the axial direction of the sleeve whereby thesleeve is positioned on the end of the wire or rod-formed material.

In the particular case of the sleeving of a gapped loop of wire of thekind produced by the loop former of the apparatus described in theabove-mentioned specitication, the apparatus preferably comprises amovable holder for the sleeve by means of which the sleeve may be movedinto the gap of the loop in substantial alignment with the two ends ofthe loop, gripping means adapted to seize each end of the loop and meansfor traversing the gripping means towards the sleeve to enter the twoends of the loop into opposite ends of the sleeve.

Preferably the apparatus comprises means for producing a smalldepression in the external surface of the sleeve after it has receivedthe wire or rod-formed material so that the latter is lightly gripped bythe sleeve.

One form of pneumatically operated apparatus according to the inventionfor sleeving the ends of a gapped loop of wire produced in the apparatusdescribed in the above-mentioned specification will now be describedwith reference to the accompanying drawings, in whichlFigure l is a sideview of the apparatus,

Figure 2 -is a side View of a part of the apparatus 4of Figure l withthe gripping jaws omitted,

Figure 3 is a schematic View on an enlarged scale, in the direction ofthe arrow X in Figure l showing some of the parts associa-ted with theinclined supporting surface of Figure l, and

Figure 4 is an end view on an enlarged scale, of the wire gripping jawsof Figure l.

The apparatus illustrated in the drawings forms a part of the apparatusdescribed in the specification of application 596,002 for the automaticproduction of a closed wire loop from wire stock. Figure l shows inchain lines a part of the path of the upper ight of one of the twointermittently movingy lower conveyers of a loop forming apparatus ofthe said specication.- This conveyor is designated by the numeral 1 inFigure l and it is shown conveying a number of gapped loops 2 in the'direction of the arrow A.

The apparatus illustrated in the drawings comprises a frame member inthe form of a thin substantially vertical plate 3 to which there issecured a-narrow inclined 3' 2,913,014 Patented vNov. 17,.;1959,

plane supporting surface 4. The plate 3 is so positioned with respect tothe conveyors of said loop forming apparatus that the inclinedsupporting surface 4- is parallel to, and slopes downwardly in thedirection of travel of, the upper flight of' the conveyor 1 and liesmidwaybetween this conveyor and the other lower conveyor ofI the loopforming apparatus, v partly fabove and partly? below the upper ilightsofthe two lower conveyors.-

The conveyors of the loop'forming apparatus move*- the gappedloops 2intermittently towards-the supporting surface 4,. each loop resting inturn with its.ex1ds-sub'L stantially in the planey of the suportingsurface-4^dur' ing a dwell period ofthe conveyors before being movedpast the said supporting surface in the direction'oflthe arrow A. Duringeach of these dwell periods ofthe* conveyors one gapped loop issubjected to the sleeving- In their travel-towardsthe supporting surface4 prior to the-sleeving operation' the two ends ofeach gapped loop 2travel along oppo-rv operation described hereinafter.

site sides of the plate 3, the latter being arranged substantiallyparallel to the direction of advance of the conveyors.

On each side of the plate 3 a guide 5, comprising upper and lowerguiding surfaces 6 and 7, respectively;

is slidably mounted in horizontal guideways 8, 9. These two guidingsurfaces 6, 7 define a substantially horizontal gap 10, which tapersfrom left to right, as will be seen in Figure 2. A pneumatic cylinder 11mounted on the plate 3 has its piston rod 12 connected to one end of alink 13 which is rigidly secured intermediate its ends to a pinA 14pivotally mounted in the plate 3, with the pivotingaxis of the pin 14substantially horizontal and at rightangles to the direction of advancelof the conveyors, The end of the link 13` remote from the cylinder 11 ispivotally connected to the guide 5 lying on the same side of theplate 3as the cylinder.

The pin`14, is rigidly secured to one end of a further link (not shown),which link is supported by the pin 14 Von,V the side of the plate 3remote from thelinkf13. This further link is pivotally connected at itsother end to;

the guide 5 (not shown) lying on the side` of the plate 3 remote fromthe link 13. By supplying the compressedair to one end or the other ofthe cylinder 11fit will be appreciated that the two guides 5 canl bemoved to- ,y gether in a substantially horizontal direction between theposition shown in full lines and the position 5a shown in dotted lines.in Figure 2. The purpose of these guides 5 is to receive the ends oftheloops 2 in4 the gaps 10 las-theY loop ends pass alongside` theplate-3 and to locate these ends correctly in the vertical direc tionwhen theyy come to rest substantially in the plane of the supportingsurface 4, the guides being, atthistime. in the position 5a (see Figure2).

When the two ends of a gapped loop ZvcomeY toerestj;

substantially in the plane of the supporting surface 4atthe commencementof a dwell period of the conveyors, the two ends are gripped bypneumatically operated jaws 15 and 16, shown in detail in Figure 4. `Thejaws 15 are Each of the iawsslssl comprise a'parof was bers 19pivotallymounted intermediate'their ends `one.` pivot 20 secured to thelower end of the arms 17 afndu18i; At their upper ends the jaw members19 `arepivotallvr4 lconnected to links 21. A pneumatic cylinder22"rriountedf' .fon each-of the arms 17, .18 has its piston rod 23pivotally connected to the links 21. By supplying compressed air to oneend or the other of the cylinders 22 it will be appreciated that thefree ends of the jaw members 19 of each of the jaws 15, 16 can be movedltowards or away from each other, as indicated by the arrows B.

Intermediate their ends the arms 17 and 18 are mounted on horizontalpivots 24 and 25, respectively, the axes of these pivots lying parallelto the direction of advance f the conveyors. Small toothed pinions 26,27 mounted on the arms 17 and 18, respectively, are rigidly secured tothe arms with their axes coincident with the axes of the pivots 24 and25, respectively. These two pinions mesh with one another so thatrotation of one of the arms 17, 18 about its pivot causes an equal andopposite rotation of the other arm about its pivot. At their upper endsthe arms 17 and 18 are connected together by a pneumatic cylinder 28. Bysupplying compressed air to one end or the other of the cylinder 28 thelower ends of the arms 17 and 18 can be moved towards or away from eachother in a substantially vertical plane at right angles to the directionof advance of the conveyors of the loop forming apparatus. Movement ofthe lower ends of the arms away from each other is limited by a rod 29passing through bosses 29a pivotally mounted on the arms 17 18. Thelength of the rod 29 is adjustable.

The pivots 24 and 25 are rigidly secured to a frame member 3a (seeFigure l) of the apparatus in such a position that the vertical plane inwhich the pivoting motion of the arms 17, 18 takes place passes throughthe ends of a gapped loop 2 brought by the conveyors to the supportingsurface 4 as described above.

When a gapped loop 2 arrives at the supporting surface 4 the grippingjaws are in rthe position shown in Figure 4 and the lower ends of thejaw members 19 are apart. If compressed air is now supplied to the upperends of the cylinders 22 it will be appreciated that the lower ends ofthe jaw members 19 of each of the jaws 15 and 16 move towards each otherto grip the ends of the gapped loop. Once the ends of the loop have beengripped in this man ner -the guides are moved from the position Str tothe position shown in full lines in Figure 2 by supplying compressed airto the left hand end of the cylinder 11 (as viewed in Figure l). Thishas the effect of releasing the loop gripped by the jaws 15, 16 from theguides 5.

A sleeve holder is slidably mounted on the inclined supporting surface4. This sleeve holder comprises a block 30 adapted to slide on thesupporting surface 4 in guides 31, the block being provided with asemicircular recess 32 at its upper end. The axis of this recess 32 issubstantially horizontal and disposed at right angles to the directionof advance of the conveyors of the loop forming apparatus. At its lowerend the block 30 is connected by a link 33 to a crank arm 34 rigidlysecured to a toothed quadrant 35. A rack 36 secured to the piston rod 37of a pneumatic cylinder 38 engages the toothed quadrant 35. By supplyingcompressed air to one end or the other of the cylinder 38, the block 30can be made to move in the upward or the downward direction on thesupporting surface 4 between the two positions shown, respectively, infull lines and in chain lines in Figure 3. iIn the lower position of theblock 30 a sleeve 39 is fed into the recess 32 with the axis of thesleeve coincident with the axis of the recess. These sleeves, which areused for joining together the ends of the gapped loops 2, are fed to therecess 32 one at a time in any suitable manner. Preferably a gravityfeed is employed, the sleeves being led to the recess 32 in thedirection of the arrow C by a pipe 40 from a magazine, a Syntron bowlfeeder or other convenient receptacle (not shown) containing a stock ofsleeves. Each time the block 30 moves into its lower position (the chainline position shown in Figure 3) one sleeve 39 is fed into the recess32. When the block 3|), `with the sleeve 39 in its recess 32, is movedto its upper position on the supporting surface 4 by the cylinder 38,the sleeve 39 is located in a semicircular recess 41 formed in a furtherblock 42 which is also slidably mounted on the supporting surface 4. Theblock 42 is urged downwardly on the surface 4 by springs (not shown)arranged between the block 42 and a further block 43 rigidly secured tothe surface 4. A stop (not shown) limits the separation of the blocks 42and 43 to about 1A. When the block 30 is moved to its upper position itstrikes the block 42 and moves the latter upwardly against the action ofsaid springs into contact with the block 43. In this position of theblocks 30 and 42 the sleeve 39 is held by the recesses 32 and 41 withits axis substantially horizontal and in alignment with the ends of theloop 2 gripped by Ithe laws 15 and 16 (see Figure 4).

When the block 30 has been moved to its upper position compressed air issupplied to the right hand end of the cylinder 28 (as viewed in -Figure4) so that the ends of the gapped loop 2 held in the jaws 15, 16 aremoved towards each other in the direction of the arrows D and enteropposite ends of the sleeve 39. This movement of the ends of the loop isarrested by the two ends abutting one another inside the sleeve 39substantially mid-Way between the ends of the latter.

Two punches 44 are slidably mounted in the block 42 with the axes of thepunches lying parallel to the supporting surface 4 and at right anglesto the axis of the sleeve 39 held in the recesses 32 and 41. The headsof the punches project from the block 42 at the upper end of the latterand the pointed operative ends of the punches enter the recess 41 andrest against the external surface of the sleeve 39, one near to each endof the sleeve. A hammer block y45 is slidably mounted in the block 43and is connected by a link 46 to the piston rod 47 of a pneumaticcylinder 48. When the ends of the loop have been fed into the sleeve 39as described above, compressed air is supplied to the upper end of thecylinder 48 so that the hammer block 45 is driven down the supportingsurface 4 in the direction of the arrow E against the heads of thepunches 44. This causes the pointed lower ends of the punches to nickthe sleeve 39 so that the latter is secured temporarily to the two endsof the loop.

After compietiou of the punching operation compressed air is supplied tothe lower ends of the cylinders 22 to release the jaws 15, 16.Compressed air is also supplied to the cylinder 38, to move the block3l) to its lower position where it receives another sleeve 39, and tothe cylinder 48 to move the hammer block 45 to its upper position inreadiness for the next punching operation. Finally compressed air issupplied to the left hand end of the cylinder 28 (as viewed in Figure 4)to move the lower ends of the arms 17 and 18 away from each other. Thesleeved loop is now quite free to be moved away from the supportingsurface 4 in the direction of the arrow A by the conveyors of the loopforming apparatus. Before the loop is moved by the conveyors, however,the right hand end of cylinder 11 (as viewed in Figure 1) is suppliedwith compressed air to move the guides 5 in the direction of the arrow Aso that the guides move to the position 5a to locate the ends of thenext loop to arrive at the supporting surface 4 in the sleevingposition.

The air valves for controlling the flow of air to and from the variouspneumatic cylinders are not shown in the drawings. It will beappreciated, however, that it is a simple matter to arrange these valvesin such positions that they are operated automatically by the apparatusitself or by the loop forming apparatus. Thus for example, movement ofthe block 30 to its upper position can control valves for the cylinder28 to eifect the movement of the ends of the loop into the sleeve 39.The movement of the arms 17, 18 as the ends of the loop are fed into thesleeve 39 can be used to control valves for the cylinder 48 to effectthe punching operation of the sleeve 39. The movement of the hammerblock 45 during the punching operation may be employed to'control valvesfor the cylinder 33 to eect the movement of block 39 to its lowerposition. The downward movement of the block 30 may be employed tocontrol valves for the cylindei 11 and 48 for the purposes of moving theguides 5 to the position a and raising the hammer block 45 to its upperposition. This movement of the guides 5 may be employed to controlvalves of the pneumatic means effecting the intermittent movement of theconveyors of the loop forming apparatus. The movement of the conveyorsmay be employed to control valves for the cylinders 22 to bring aboutthe gripping of the ends of a gapped loop at the supporting surface 4.-Finally movement of the piston rods 23 may be employed to controlvalves for the cylinder 38 to effect upward movement of the block 30 onthe supporting surface 4.

Although the invention has been described in detail above in connectionwith sleeving the two ends of a loop of wire, it will be appreciatedthat it is a simple matter to adapt the apparatus to place a sleeve onone end of a piece of wire or rod formed material.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for automatically securing a tubular sleeve to the end of awire, comprising, a support, gripping means pivotally mounted on saidsupport for holding the wire end in position to be coupled with thesleeve, a sleeve holder, frame means fixed relative to said support andpresenting a planar surface for supporting said sleeve holder forsliding reciprocating movement therealong, actuating means forreciprocating said holder along said planar surface between two stoppositions, feed means at one of said stop positions for advancing anddelivering tubular sleeve to the holder, said actuating means thereaftermoving said holder to the said other stop position to align and hold thesleeve coaxially with the wire end, means for pivoting said grippingmeans to insert the wire end axially into one end of said sleeve,reciprocating hammer means slidingly movable along said surface forswaging said sleeve onto the wire end, means for reciprocating saidhammer means, and means for driving and synchronizing the activities ofsaid several means in accordance with a preselected and integrated cycleof operations to accomplish the automatic securing of the sleeve to thewire end.

2. An apparatus for automatically connecting a substantially cylindricalsleeve between opposed ends of a length of wire shaped in the form of anopen-ended loop, comprising, endless conveyor means for intermittentlyadvancing plural open-ended loops along a rectilinear path, frame meansproviding an inclined planar support surface disposed intersectinglyacross said path, plate means paralleling said path and adapted toproject between the ends of each loop to separate the same as the loopis advanced to said planar surface, reciprocating guide means mounted onsaid frame for guiding each loop and aligning its ends coaxially onopposite sides of said plate means and for maintaining such alignment asthe loop is advanced to said planar surface, means intermittentlyarresting said conveyor to successively place each loop in turn with itsends separated and coaxially aligned substantially in the plane of theplanar surface, a support xed relative to said frame means, grippingmeans mounted on said sup- 6 port and operative when said loop is soarrested for simultaneously engaging the end portions thereof, meansretracting said guide means from said loop upon operation of saidgripping means, holder means reciprocating on said planar surface forpositioning and holding a tubular sleeve between the coaxially separatedends of the loop at said planar surface, means pivotally activating saidgripping means for simultaneously thrusting said loop end portionstoward one another and into the open ends of the interposed sleeve,means for thereafter mechanically clamping said sleeve securely ontosaid end portions, and means for driving and synchronizing theactivities of said several means in accordance with a preselected andintegrated cycle of operations to accomplish the automatic securing ofthe sleeve to the wire ends.

3. An apparatus for automatically securing a tubular sleeve over opposedends of a length Aof wire shaped in the form of an open-ended loop,comprising, frame means, means on said frame means for holding the loopin position to be coupled with the sleeve and for maintaining the endsthereof separated, a sleeve holder mounted on said frame means forrectilinear reciprocating movement, means for periodically reciprocatingsaid sleeve holder along said 4frame means between preselected iirst andsecond stop limits, means feeding tubular sleeves to said holder at saidiirst stop limit, said holder thereafter carrying a sleeve to saidsecond stop limit whereat the sleeve is held coaxially thereby betweenthe ends of the loop, a support fixed relative to said frame means,gripper means pivotally mounted on said support for holding opposite endportions of the loop in coaxial alignment with said sleeve, meanspivotally actuating said gripper means to simultaneously insert said endportions into opposite axial ends of said sleeve, a hammer and punchmeans mounted for rectilinear reciprocating movement on said frame meansand adapted periodically to engage sleeves disposed over the loop endportions to clamp the same securely together, and means for driving andsynchronizing the activities of said several means in accordance with apreselected and integrated cycle of operations to accomplish theautomatic securing of the sleeve to the wire ends.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 2 wherein said means forclamping the sleeve comprises a punch and hammer means reciprocallymovable along the inclined planar surface for indenting the sleeve toclamp the same with said end portions, and said conveyor means removingthe closed loop from the planar surface after its release from saidgripper means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS705,130 Perry July 22, 1902 1,850,126 Bruckner Mar. 22, 1932 2,066,483Pearson Jan. 5, 1937 2,172,847 Nydegger Sept. 12, 1939 2,612,932 VinsonOct. 7, 1952 2,708,228 Crabbe et al May 10, 1955

